8 Questions to Ask When Shopping for a Camera
- This Camera for Beginner Photographers is Under $200
- Yes, the Canon 5D Mark II is Still a good Camera
photo by EXTREME-PHOTOGRAPHER via iStock
Given the fact that the holidays are coming up, more and more of us are going to be making some big purchases, whether they are for ourselves or for loved ones. I don’t think I haven’t purchased either a camera or a lens for the last 5 years in December.
The holidays sales are just too good to give up. But, if you don’t know what you’re looking for, then making these sorts of decisions can be super overwhelming, especially if you’re trying to buy an expensive camera that you hope will last you for years to come.
While a camera buyer’s guide or a camera comparison can be helpful for you as you make this decision, neither one of those things are very helpful if you legitimately have no idea where to start. Maybe you haven’t bought a camera since college and even then it was a film camera, or maybe you’re trying to buy a camera for your significant other who has started getting more into photography. Whatever your scenario, it is important that you know questions to ask when shopping for a camera.
While you should have questions to ask when shopping for a camera in your mind once you get to the store and need help from the salesperson, you should also be asking yourself these questions.
So, these are my top 8 questions to ask when shopping for a camera.
Why Am I Buying a Camera?
photo by martin-dm via iStock
Some questions to ask when shopping for a camera are more important than others; this is the most important of all.
For a lot of people, their smartphone has a better camera than they could ever need. So, what do you need out of a camera that the camera on your smartphone isn’t able to do for you? Are you hoping to get higher resolution images so that you can create prints to decorate your home with? Are you starting a photography business? Do you simply miss the feeling of working with an old-fashioned camera?
Once you’ve figured out why you need a camera, rather than the camera you likely already own in your phone, the rest of the questions to ask when shopping for a camera on this list will be a lot easier to answer.
Will I Edit My Photos?
photo by gorodenkoff via iStock
This question will help guide you to what to look for in a camera. Are you looking for a camera that you can use right out of the box? Or are you looking for a camera that will produce photos with enough resolution to let you post-process them without issue?
Most cameras on the market today have large enough sensors (and RAW imaging capabilities) to allow you to edit your images in a program like Photoshop or Lightroom without any problems. But if you are a brand-new photographer who wants to buy a cheap, older camera to let you learn the basics before moving onto something bigger and better, you’ll first need to examine whether it has the resolution and RAW imaging capabilities to let you easily edit your images.
Learn More:
What Types of Photos Will I Primarily Be Shooting?
photo by chee gin tan via iStock
When my mother-in-law retired, she started traveling the world. She spent three months traveling through Europe, two months traveling through South America, and actually ended her trip in New Zealand. She wasn’t a wealthy woman, by any means, rather she was just very determined to see things she never got the chance to.
Before she set out on this life changing experience, she wanted to buy a camera that would allow her to share images with her friends and family back home and that would allow her to always remember the year.
As someone who had very little experience with modern cameras, she sort of automatically assumed that a large DSLR would be the perfect thing for her trip because they were the most expensive camera she could buy, which obviously meant they were the best.
photo by dmbaker via iStock
I very quickly talked her out of that decision for a few reasons. The first was that I didn’t want her to spend over $1,000 on a camera she couldn’t work. I knew her technological know-how was lacking and figured she would do much better with a point and shoot camera that wouldn’t require any education beforehand. The second was that she is a really tiny woman. I don’t imagine she weighs over 100 lbs and is barely 5 feet tall. I knew that a heavy DSLR would do nothing for her on this trip but weigh her down.
You need to understand what types of photos you will be shooting and where you will be shooting them, in addition to understanding the type of camera that you are willing and able to operate.
Am I Comfortable Shooting With a Large Camera?
photo by EXTREME-PHOTOGRAPHER via iStock
As I said in the intro to this article, a lot of the questions to ask when shopping for a camera build off of each other. This is one of them.
If you, like my mother-in-law, are a tiny person with really small hands, then you likely don’t want to spend a ton of money on a camera you can’t operate.
Now, you should also be asking if you’re comfortable shooting with a small camera if you’re a person with really large hands, like me. I can’t use point and shoot cameras because the buttons are too small and spaced too closely together. I’ll end up hitting something I didn’t mean to and get frustrated!
Get more details on different types of cameras you might consider (and other tips for buying a camera) in my video above.
How Much Do I Want to Spend?
photo by filadendron via iStock
All of these questions to ask when shopping for a camera don’t mean very much if the answer to the above question is something like $100.
Now, I’m obviously not trying to dissuade you from picking up a camera for $100, but in that price range, you only get so many options. This is why it is especially important for you to set a budget before you step foot in a camera store.
Of course, if you haven’t ever shopped for a camera before, or if you haven’t shopped for a camera in the last two decades, you’ll want to look up average camera prices and then base your budget on those.
Where Will My Photos End Up?
photo by grinvalds via iStock
I think this is one of the most overlooked questions to ask when shopping for a camera. But, if you’re purchasing a camera to take photos for your social media channels, then that sort of camera is going to be very different from a camera that you’re purchasing to take photos to hang on your walls.
You need to be honest with yourself when answering this question. If you doubt you’ll ever do much with your photos except put them on your laptop to share with friends, then that could save you a lot of money when you go to pick up your camera. If, on the other hand, you are dead set on blowing up your images to create large prints for people, then you’ll need to splurge for a camera that takes high-resolution shots.
Of course, if you’re purchasing a camera to sell your images, you’ll want to make sure to buy a high-resolution camera regardless.
Do I Already Like a Specific Camera Manufacturer?
photo by ArisSu via iStock
This is another one of those questions to ask when shopping for a camera that people forget about. Cameras, in many ways, are like your favorite brand of jeans or your favorite brand of smartphone. If you have ever used one and loved it before, then there’s no reason for you to switch brands.
My family has been a Fujifilm family for decades. I’ve always liked the look of their cameras because they remind me of the cameras I grew up using. While I have cameras from a ton of manufacturers (because this is my whole life now), when it comes down to it, I’ll always have a special place in my heart for Fujifilm.
This tip is especially true for photographers who have only been shooting for a few years. If you’ve been using a Canon camera for the past three years, it is going to be easier for you to purchase another Canon, not just because you’re already familiar with that brand, but also because you likely already have lenses and other gear that will work with a newer camera.
Do I Need to Shoot Video?
Out of all of these questions to ask when buying a camera, do I need to shoot video is one that gets left behind.
When people think of questions to ask when shopping for a camera, they typically only have still photography in mind and for videographers, or people who are wanting to simply remember vacations or special moments via film, this just won’t do.
Most modern cameras have 4K video capabilities, which simply makes your video look cleaner and more vibrant. Most older cameras can only shoot in full HD. As someone who doesn’t usually work with video, a camera that can shoot Full HD is typically all I need. But, if you are buying a camera to start a business or you want to start a YouTube channel, then you definitely need 4K options.
Learn More:
